Foundation walls for houses and other buildings are often veneered or include brick. To prevent excess moisture build-up, weep holes are formed at specified intervals in the foundation which usually consists of an absence of mortar between the ends of abutting bricks. Thus, should moisture collect in the foundation wall, the weep holes allow some air to circulate and the moisture to be removed. While these weep holes are important for the wall, they also provide a compelling entry for insects, small snakes, lizards and other small undesirable animals. For example, it is not unusual for termites or bees to use a weep hole for entry or nest construction, thus blocking the weep holes and causing harm to the building structure. In southern Texas roaches and large bees cause homeowners problems by nesting and crawling into the weep holes, often multiplying in or closely nearby.
In order to prevent insect entry, it has been known in the past to place screen wire within the weep holes to prevent access. However, by merely plugging the weep hole with screen wire or other porous materials, small insects can infiltrate the plugged weep holes even though passage is somewhat obstructed. If such insects build a nest within the plugged weep hole, air passage is greatly reduced, therefore defeating the original purpose of the weep hole.
With the problems associated with prior attempts at preventing animal entry into the weep holes, the present invention was conceived and one of its objectives is to provide a device to prevent animal entry by the use of a porous barrier positioned over the weep hole.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a porous barrier contained within a flexible frame which can be contoured to the outer wall structure.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a device which includes a flexible frame having inner and outer sections with an easily removable porous barrier sandwiched in between.
Yet still another objective of the present invention is provide a method for preventing animal entry into a weep hole by the use of a porous barrier which is releasably attached for easy cleaning.
Various other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as a more detailed description is set forth below.